來自洛杉磯報導 - 冷凍卵子的議題正在升溫，越來越多年輕、健康的女性正在尋找延遲生兒育女的方法。最新的技術正試圖跟上需求。

在攜手散步後以離婚告終，34歲的梅蘭妮走進一家生育診所。

梅蘭妮說：“我仍然不想放棄擁有家人和孩子以及一切的夢想 ”。

於是梅蘭妮接受了冷凍卵子的療程，同時繼續尋找“如意郎君”。

梅蘭妮說：“我覺得冷凍卵子讓我感到如釋重負”。

不再是“實驗階段”，冷凍卵子已經成為主流。全國各地的生育專家指出越來越多的健康婦女選擇將自己的卵子冷凍起來，希望在未來保留自己的生育能力。

人工生殖技術協會主席Eric Widra博士將此一現象歸功於冷凍技術的重大進步。

Widra說：“冷凍卵子有兩種主要的方法，我們已經優化了這兩種技術，使目前有經驗的生殖中心無論用哪種冷凍卵子方法，其成功率都可媲美新鮮卵子受精的成功率。”

它使得“冷凍”成為20幾歲到40初歲女性的熱門話題。

心理學家Joann Galst博士說，許多患者將時間投注在生活目標，如把重點放在尋找工作夥伴，完成學業或理財。

Galst博士說：“還有一個重點，有些女性先建立自己的職業生涯才開始她們的家庭生活。”

Widra博士說：“雖然卵子銀行可以幫助“凍結”養育計劃，該技術仍然被認為是不成熟的。”來自世界各地的冷凍卵子只有約2,000名嬰兒已經出生，主要是通過捐贈計劃。

Widra博士說：“年輕女性的卵子只被冷凍很短的一段時間，因此，我們不知道是否冷凍中年婦女的卵子，或經過更長的一段時間，會產生任何不良後果，我們不認為會，但我們還不知道。”

很重要的是，要切記冷凍卵子不是一個故障安全的保險措施。

Widra博士說：“即使使用高品質的卵子，也不能提供任何保證。”

梅蘭妮仍打算嘗試自然受孕，但有一個備份計劃的感覺很好。

Widra博士說：“對我來說，它賦予我權力，而且它讓我要強很多。”

保險通常不給付冷凍卵子的費用，加上藥費和卵子儲存費的價格，越來越多的婦女開始未雨綢繆。

文章譯自：http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?id=9259356&_Food2-9259356

Egg-freezing goes mainstream with better technology

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The debate over egg-freezing is heating up as more and more young, healthy women are looking at options that postpone parenthood.

The latest technology is trying to keep up with the demand.

After a walk down the aisle ended in divorce, 34-year-old Melanie Bradshaw walked into a fertility clinic.

"I didn't want to give up that dream of still having that family and having the kids and everything," said Melanie.

So Melanie underwent a procedure to harvest and freeze her eggs while continuing to search for "Mr. Right."

"I think that it's taken the pressure off of my shoulders," said Melanie.

No longer labeled "experimental," egg-freezing has gone mainstream. Fertility experts across the country report a surge in healthy women choosing to put their eggs on ice, hoping to preserve their fertility for the future.

Dr. Eric Widra, chair of the Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology, credits the bump to significant advances in freezing technology.

"There are two primary ways that people freeze eggs," said Widra. "We've optimized both of these technologies to the point where experienced centers now see comparable success rates from eggs that were frozen from either method to those that are fertilized fresh."

It's making freezing a hot topic among women ranging from their late 20s to early 40s.

Psychologist Dr. Joann Galst says many of these patients are also buying time to focus on life goals like finding a partner, finishing school or straightening out finances.

"There's also a focus for women on establishing their careers before they start their families," said Galst.

While egg banking may help "freeze" parenting plans, Dr. Widra says the technology is still considered young. Only about 2,000 babies have been born from frozen eggs worldwide, mainly via donation programs.

"Where eggs are frozen from young women for a short period of time," said Widra. "So we don't yet know whether freezing eggs from older women, or for a longer period of time, will have consequences. We don't think it will, but we don't know yet."

It's also important to keep in mind that freezing eggs is not a fail-safe insurance policy.

"Even with high-quality eggs, it's not a guarantee," said Galst.

Melanie still plans to try and conceive naturally, but feels good having a backup plan in place.

"For me it's empowerment and it's made me a lot stronger," said Widra.

Egg-freezing isn't typically covered by insurance. With a price tag ranging from $5,000 to more than $10,000, plus medication costs and egg-storage fees, more women are starting to plan ahead. Those costs don't include medication or egg storage fees.